I’m Going To Play Favorites for a Minute

I know.

“We’re not supposed to play favorites.”

But…

Hear me out…

You should probably have a favorite goal.😬

Ok, I said it!

But believe me, it’s true.

Here’s why.

The Problem with Equal Effort

Most of us don’t lack ambition. We lack restraint.

We treat all our goals like they deserve equal attention, equal effort, and equal airtime.

It sounds fair—it even sounds responsible.

But when everything is important, focus disappears, and progress goes with it.

In other words…

When everything is important, nothing is.

The Math Behind This

There’s a simple idea that helps make sense of this: the Pareto Principle, or in laymen’s terms, the 80/20 Rule.

It suggests that 20% of the effort put into something, accounts for 80% of the results.

EIGHTY PERCENT!

The Pareto Principle in life

I’ve seen this clearly in my own fitness journey.

If I’m honest, there’s a long list of things I could do to be more fit (who can relate to that?). A long list that feels overwhelming and often nips progress and momentum in the bud.

But focusing on the 20% that actually keeps me consistent, energized, and happy feels simple and achievable.

For me, that current 20% is movement with music and with other people.

Invite me for a walk or put me in a room with a beat and a few friendly faces, and I’ll show up every time.

Remove the people, and my motivation becomes… theoretical.

Knowing and focusing on my 20% keeps me from chasing every new trend and helps me double down on what actually works.

Leveraging Pareto at Work

The same pattern shows up at work.

Most people aren’t short on effort, they’re short on leverage.

A small portion of the workday usually drives the real progress: a key decision, a meaningful conversation, or a focused block of deep thinking.

The rest of the tasks fill the calendar and keep things moving, but they rarely move the needle (a.k.a. That 80%).

When you stop trying to give everything equal energy and start prioritizing the 20% that matters most:

• Work feels less overwhelming.
• Prioritization becomes your superpower.
• Results are magnified.

Doing less isn’t the goal. Doing what matters most is.

Pick your 20% this week and see what happens.

Let me know how it goes,

Laurie